Silo structure



Apr. 24, 1923.."-

F. J. VAN COTT SILO STRUCTURE Fild March 20, 1922 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L /0 Zdz/Zzes 5 Apr. 24, 19123. 1,4525% F. J. VAN'COTT S ILO STRUCTURE Filed March 20, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Ap r. 24, 1923. I 1,452,578 F. J. VAN CCTT S ILO STRUCTURE Filed March 20, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 24, 1923.. i v i Q i UNITED STATES FATE NT' OFF-163E;

I FRANK Jrvaiv com, or UNADILLQ'NEWYORK, V I I i p i p I srno's rnuotrtian. 7 Application filed March 20,1922; Serial No. 545,117.

To allwkom'itmag/ concern: gether with radially arranged rods-extend- Be it known that I, FRANK J VAN Corr, ing from one side of the silo tothe .oppo-. a citizen of the United States, and a resisite sideof the silo for preventing any movedent of Unadilla,.in the county of Otsegoment of the silo wall. l and Stateot New York, have inventeda Still another oh'ect is to provide-means 55 certain new and useful Silo Structure, or for drawingthesilo wall toposition where which the following is a specification. j it will Qforma substantiallytrue circle and The object of my invention is to provide formamtaining it in itstrue circular form, a silo structure of simple, durable and comthe last mentioned means beingdetachably 10 paratively inexpensive construction. a -,mounted, so\ that when the'silo is being filled 60 More particularly, my invention relates to wlth ensilage the parts may be removed a silo structure, wherein the silo staves used and not bev 1n the way with the; filling of in constructing the silo are very thin and the s lo, about half as thick as the ordinary woode With these and other 'objects'-in,view,mv staves now commercially used. w lnventlon consists in the -COIlStIUClJlOIlflfil? 65 My invention relates particularly to a rangement and combination ofthejvariojus silo structure of very thin staves, in which p s of my devlce, Whereby'the objects conthe staves and the reinforcingelements are templated are attained, as hereinafter more used therein in such a peculiar manner that fully Set fOrth, pointed out claims, the thin staves will prove as efficient andas and lllustra-ted 1n the accompanying ;,draw 70 strong as the staves ordinarily commermire 1n which: cially used. e Figural 1s a side elevation of my im- Still another object is to construct a silo p oved S 10. parts bein broken away to.

of thin staves, the-arranging of the staves betterv illu the GOD fi in circular form and then drawing them up Figu e 2 is a detail perspective view, 75,

ti ht i t h th f ti th i showing the staves abutting against the door movement, and'then placing wooden strips fmmej around the exterior otthe staves and se g e 3 is a Sectional view takenpon the curely fastening the strips to the staves, so 11116 3,-3ot Figur Sh i er inforc- 3 that when the staves and strips are it d ing means near the upper end of the-silo; 80;

together, they jointly will-be as strong and g t is p p c ve Sectional w as ffi i t as th di 11 tw ofa slightly modifiedform ofa silo, showin h t v Th t e '1 f bl use ing iron hoops andwoodenbands extendmay b properly t d i h t j mg clear around the siloand over the door Still another object is to provide means p m g- R v i for anchoring the iron bands or hoops to Figure 5 is p v w of B' Q with the the door frame, so that when the hoops or roof'fillefemc d c s bands are tightened up for drawing the Figure 6 is a detail. sectional view taken staves towards the door frame, the door on the line 66 of Figured showing: the 40 frame will be held against any movement coacting means for anchorin tl1P "Itli(lQ 90 relative to the hoops. 5 cablesto the silo and for'maintainingi the Still another object isto provide reinfiller members inproper' position. forcing means'arrangedwithin the silo wall Figure I is a perspective viewshoiving structure and nearthe top thereof, the reinone of the brackets for maintainingthe ends forcing means preventing any possible inof the filler members. i ward movement of the staves relative to Figure 8 isa side-elevation of one of the each other and at the same time'tending to cla-mpdevices, to which the guide cables are cause thesilo to remain in a true circle. secured This form of clamp is illustrated Still another object is to provide reinin my Letters Patent, issued to'ine ona clamp forcing means near-the top of the silo, to on Marclrll, 1919,'No."1,29 6,883.i; f

frame members; 11 from moving Figure 9 is a detailed view showing the means for anchoring the iron hoops to the door frame of the silo.

Figure 10 is a detailed, sectional. view taken on the line 10-l0 of Figure 9.

v Figure 11 is a top, plan view of a silo structure with the roof thereof removed, showing the removable means for drawing the silo to a true circular form; and

Figure 12 is a central, sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 11.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate an ordinary cement base for a silo and 11 to indicate the vertically arranged door frame members. v

The doorframe members 11 may be provided with cross pieces or may be spaced apart without. any cross pieces arranged therebetween.

At the top of the door frame members 11, I have shown a crosspiece 12. i The particular means'arrangedfor preventing the door towards each other will be hereafter more fully set forth.)

Each of the door frame members'll is provided 011 one of its sides with a ton ue 13 designed to be received ivn'agroove formed in-"thestav'es'la of the silo. The staves 14 are of the ordinary tongue and groove type, but-are just about half as thick as the ordinary so-called two-inch commercial stave.

The staves'" 14 are placed vertically upon the base or foundation 10 and iron hoops 15 are then placed around the" staves. ends of the ironhoo'ps 1 5 are formed with loops 16 and are connected together by a bolt '17 extending into the loops 16. The tightening of the bolt 17 will cause the hoops 15 to be drawn tightly around the staves 14. The hoops l5 prevent the expansion of the silo wall; f i

l i ooden bands or strips 18 are placed around the staves 14 and are securely fastened thereto in a manner that will be hereafter more fully set forth.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I have shown the wooden bands as extending up against the door frame members 11, while in Figure 4; of the drawings, I have shown the wooden bands as extending cleararound the'door frame members and over the door opening.

The silo is provided with a roof structure 19.

f When the door frame members 11 are ar- I ranged with no cross pieces between their upper and lower ends, it is necessary to provide means for anchoring the door frames to the iron hoops. In order to properly do 23 for receiving the spiral members 20. T he bolts 22 are extended through the door frame members 11.

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be seen that when the spiral member 20 is in position and is secured to the door frame member 11, movement of the door frame members 11 relative to the iron hoops 15 will be eliminated.

After the door frame members 11 have been anchored to the hoops 15, I then tighten the hoops by tightening the bolts 17. The tightening of the bolts 17 will cause the shaves-14c to be crowded towards each other and against the door frame members 11. The tightening of the hoops 15 brings the silo to a substantially true circular outline.

After the hoops have been tightened, I then take flat bands of wood and nail them to the slaves at spaced intervals thereon. The fiat'bands are also arrangedto overlap the end joints of the staves.

The'wooden bands being nailed to each ofthe staves will tend to hold'each of the staves from any'movement whatsoever relative to each other and at the same time prevent any up-and-down movement of the staves.

In this connection, it may be mentioned that the iron hoops will prevent expansion of the silo wall structure and retain it in its true circular form, while the wooden bands will prevent any up-and-down movement of the staves relative to each other and also prevent any of them from moving inwardly, due to thefact that the staves are nailed to them;

When thin staves are used for constructing the silo wall, it is extremely necessary that the stavcs be first broughtto their true circular shape, and. then the wooden bands snugly titted against 1311C staves. thus bringing the wooden. band "to position where it will be a true circle.

In order to prevent any inward movement of the staves. I'arrange reinforcing n'ieans on the interior of. the silo wall ncar the top thereof. I provide filler members 24,

which are arranged on the cords of a circle and have their ends abutting'against each other as clearly illustrated in' Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings.

(hie edge of the filler members 24 is curved fr in end to end so to lit snuglyagainst the inner surface of the silo wall formed by the staves 14-v The filler members 21 are supported on brackets 5255. The brackets 25 are formcl with anopening through which is extend.

ed a bolt 27. The bolt 27 extends through the silo wall and has mounted thereon on the exterior of the silo wall, a clamprlevice,

which is composed of a pair of castings 28 and 29. The clam-p device is theform of clamp dev ce'shown in my Letters Patent,

no. 1,296,883. issued March 11,1919. v

ings.

m rods'35 are formed with loops 38. The rods 1 35 "project inwardly slightly beyond the ends of the rods are screw-threadedfas at 31 and are extended through openings formed in the parts 28 and 29 of the'cl amp device. A nut" 32' is placed on the screwthreadcd' end 31 and rests against the extermro'f the silo wall. placedon thescrew threaded end 3l 'of the rods 30 andrcsts against'the casting 28 of the clamp device,

Guy cables 34 are. received between the parts 28 and 29 OflillQ clamp device andextend along tlie silo wall and are anchored to the baselQ of the silo by means of'the saddle device'35.

' From the construction of the parts just described, it will be seen that the rods 30 holdcertain points on the silo wall against any movement while the filler members, which are arranged to have their ends 'abut against each other, will prevent "any inward movement of the silo wall between the points where the rods 30 are'extendedthroughthe wall.

Thesecuring of the guy cables 34 to, the

clampdevice and in turn fastening the rods 30 to the clamp device tends to form a construction wherein twisting of the silowall p shown in dotted lines in' Figure 11, and

is eliminated. a

The .door t'ramell shown in Figure 4 of the drawings is arranged with its outer surface beveled, so that one edgeis substantially the thickness of thecthin staves 14,.while its other edge is approximately twice as thick.

In Figures 11: and 12 of the drawings, have shown the anchorlng means, wherein the $1l0, is drawn to position where it will form a true circle in outline, also detachable and removable,so that itwill not in anyway interfere with. the lilling'of the silo.

In this form of device, the brackets 25 and I the clamp members and guycables are all arranged as has just been mentioned in connection with Figures 5 and-6 of the draw short rods 35, having their outer ends screw- 4 threaded as at'36. The screw-threaded ends I 36 of the rods extend through openings formed in the castings 28 and 29' of the clamp device and are provided withnuts 37. which rest against the casting 28. 4 1 v The rods 35 are'also provided with a nut 32 (not shown), which'rests against the silo 6 of the drawings. The innerendsofthe flexible elements 39 have secured to their A nut 33 is" also Instead of us'ingrods 30, I arrange' ends, hooks which are designed to be extended into the loops 38 on the rods 35.

A tubular member 40 is supported on the flexible elements 39 at a point Where they all crosseach other,asclearly illustrated in Figure 11 of the drawings,

I The tubular member 40 is provided with openings through which the flexible elements 39 are permitted to pass. The openings inthe tubular member 40 are arranged in'difierent horizontal planes, so that the openings will not materially weaken the tu- 'bular member40'. A lever 41 is slidably' mounted in a pair of slots- 42 formed in the tubular-member. One end of the lever is provided with a downwardly extending hook portion 43. The purpose of the'hook 7 portion 43 will be hereafter more fully set forth. l 7

After each of the flexible elements has been connected to the rods 35, and it is desiredto tighten them for drawing the silo to a substantially' true circle,the lever 41 is moved to position where the hook43 will 7 not rest against any of the flexible elements 39.5

, The rotating of the lever will cause the a I tubular member 40' to rotate, thus swinging the flexible'e'lements where they will not be exactly diametrically arranged. This" will bring the flexible elements to the position cause them to be greatly tightened.

Afterthe' parts have been tightened as ing received in the slots 42 in the tubular member will hold all of the parts against any possible movement. The lever isof suffioient' strength to Withstand any twisting due to thepressureand tension of the flexible-elements. The lever 41 is square in cross section or flat sided so as to prevent any rotation or twisti g thereof within the slot42; I

1- When' it is desired to release the flexible elements and to remove them' from Within the silo, the end of the lever opposite from the hook portion 43 is swung downwardly,

thereby raisingthe end having the hook 43' thereon untilit no longer rests against the flexible element'39. v

The flexible elements 39' will then be loose enough that each of the hooks 40 may be removed from the loops 38 in the It w'll"beseen that the flexible elements 39 may be easilyremoved when it is desiredto' fillthe'silo'and may be easily reinstalled after the silo has been; filled;

When the silo is empty during the sumlit mer, months, it usually will become twisted,

much more; than when the silo is 'filled, due to=the factthat the staves contract and each of, them gives a little bit, -so-that in a very shorttime, the silo willbecome oval-shaped rather than circular. The providing of the flexible elements, so that inward tension of the. silo wall may be, varied, permits me to.

which may always be: retainednin itstruc tion to cover by my claims, any unodified forms of structure or use of, mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably in eluded withintheir scope.

I claim as my invention:

1'. A silo structurei including a base, a door frame thereon, a plurality, oi wooden staves arranged on said base; to form a circularwall structure, means for preventing the expan sion ofsthe' wall structure, means arranged on the; interior of silo wall for preventing inward movement'thereof, including a number of filler members arranged tohave their ends abut against. each other; rods extended through the wall, flexiblegelements connecting the inn'erends ofthe rods together and means, rotatable on said; flexlble elements,

tor drawing the rods. towards the vertical center of the SllO structure. 1 1

2r A silo structure including a base, a door v frame thereon, aplural-ityof wooden staves arranged on said base to. form acircular wall structure, means for preventing the expansionfioit the wall structure, means arranged on the, interior of wall; for'preventing inward movement'thereof', includ mg a number t filler members arranged to have their ends abut against each other',*rods.

5 extended through the wall, flexibleelements :Fordetachably connecting the inner ends of. the. rods together and ineansyrotab'le on saidfieicible elements, for drawing-the rods towards the vertical centeriof the silo structure 3. A silo structure including abase. a door frame thereon. a'plurality of wooden stares arranged onsaid base to, form. a circular wall structure, means for preventing, the expansion of the wall structure, means arranged on theinterior off silo wall for preventingjm ward movement thereof, including a number of filler membersarrangedto have their ends, abut against each f other,*'-'rodsj extended through the wall, flexible elements connect ing the inner ends of the rods together, meansl on said flexible elements capable of rotation for drawing the rods towards the verticalcenter of the silo and means for retaining said last means in any of its positions t'or'thepurposes stated. i

4. A silo structure including a base, a door frame thereon, a plurality of wooden staves arranged on said base to form a circular wall structure, means for preventing the expansion of the wall structure, means arranged on the interior of silo wall for preventing inward movement thereof, said means including rods extended through the silo wall and projeoting'into the interior of the silo, diametrically arranged flexible elements for connecting the opposite rods together, means mounted on said flexible eleme nts capable of rotation, whereby the rods may drawn towards the vertical center of the silo and means for retaining said last means in of its positions.

5'. A silo structure including a base, adoor frame thereon, a plurality of wooden staves arranged on said base to form a circular wall structure. means for preventing the expansion of the wall structure, means arranged on the interiorof silo wall for preventing inward movement thereof, said means including rods extended through the silo wall and projecting into the interior of the silo, diametrically arranged elements, coacting means for detachably connecting said elements to the inner ends of said rods and means for placing said elements under tension for drawing the rods toward a common center. i

6. A silo structure including a base, a plurality of thin wooden staves havingcoacting tongues and grooves arranged on said base. a plurality of iron bands on sa id silo structure for preventingthe expansion thereof, and a pluralityof flat wooden bands on said silo structure, said wooden bands being secured to the states for preventing inward movement of thestaves, or up and down movementof the staves.

7. A silo structure including a base, a plu rality of thin wooden staves having coacting tongues and grooves arranged on said base, a pluralityot iron bands on said silo structure for preventing the expansion thereof, spiral members arranged to receive the iron bands, said last member-shavingopenings in its ends,-means for fastening and drawing said spiral member. towardsthe stares, and a pluralityiof flatwooden bands on said silo structure, said wooden bands beingsecured toftbe staves for preventing inward. move ment of, the staves; or-up and down movement ofthe staves- 1 Des Moines, Iowa. December 22, 1 921..

5 FRA-N I VA 0 

